Helping small farmers become more productive is the focus of recent global anti-hunger efforts. Such initiatives maybe crucial to achieving the first millennium development goal.

For example, small farmers in Uganda are receiving aid to grow and market coffee as a cash crop. By growing cash crops, farmers can feed their families, generate greater income and increase the food supply.

Small farmers in the developing world must overcome steep challenges such as lack of market access, high quality seeds and poor infrastructure. Droughts and other climate related issues compound these challenges.

A growing number of partnerships between agribusiness, micro-lenders, donors and scientists are trying to address hunger holistically.

But, will improving the livelihoods of small farmers help tackle hunger? How is your organization helping to address food insecurity? What success or set-backs have you faced? How might policymakers reduce hunger?

This global conversation for development professionals is brought to you by Devex and The United Nations Foundation.

The United Nations Foundation, a public charity created in 1998 with entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner's historic $1 billion gift to support UN causes and activities. We build and implement public/private partnerships to address the world's most pressing problems, and work to broaden support for the UN through advocacy and public outreach.

Through campaigns and partnerships, we connect people, ideas and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The campaigns we conduct reduce child mortality, empower women and girls, create a new energy future, secure peace and human rights, and promote technology innovation to improve health outcomes. For more information, visit www.unfoundation.org.

Devex is the largest community of international development professionals in the world serving donors, companies and NGOs, suppliers and individual professionals.